In October 2021, the fantastic noise/post-punk band A Very Special Episode released Fix Your Hearts or Die, their first full-length album. Named for a line from the 2017 revival of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, the record takes listeners on a harrowing journey through storms of noise, haunting beauty, and crippling anxiety, much like the TV show it alludes to. Fix Your Hearts or Die is a profoundly satisfying (and sometimes frightening) record, and to celebrate its first full year out in the world, AVSE has invited an exciting line-up of other talented bands and musicians to remix nine of the original eleven tracks. The result is the aptly named Remix Your Hearts or Die, a true community art project where we all get to hear what happens when the current NYC (and beyond) music scene gets into a collaborative dialogue.
Remix Your Hearts or Die starts out with the title track, AVSE’s own remix of the original album’s title track (and the only remix that comes from them here). The tone is foreboding, with wall-of-sound guitars (from Patrick Porter) sounding an alarm in the distance, while Chayse Schutter on drums holds down a slow, ominous beat as creepy layers of synth pulsate. Lead vocalist Kasey Heisler’s magnificent voice is almost completely missing from this version. Instead we hear David Lynch (playing FBI Deputy Director Gordon Cole) speaking this inspiring line to his colleague, a trans woman: “When you became Denise, I told all of your colleagues, those clown comics, to fix their hearts or die.”
And how can the clowns fix their hearts? Brooklyn band Colatura’s remix of “DFP” urges us to dance our way toward the fix, with a much more synth-drenched pop version of the original, transforming the song’s initial sense of dread into a frantic dance party spinning in an echo chamber of layers of Heisler’s vocals, dying out with an eerie crackling. Several of the other remixes here also seem to be leading the clowns to the dance floor, including “Everdream” (Taaj Al Khaliq remix of “Evergreene”), “Space Cowboy” (COUPY remix of “Cowboy”), and “Introspectre” (Ilithios remix).
But not all of the remixing here is fixing our hearts by seducing us on the dance floor. “Weather” (Jon F Daily remix) flips the structure of the original, beginning and repeating more the dangerous self-destructive voice in Heisler’s original lyrics, “Pull me back down / to the water / I wanna feel it filling up my lungs.” The Cigarettes for Breakfast remix of “New Coke” pulls out Patrick Porter’s aggressive guitar work with an even darker sound. The whole track ends with a voice from another David Lynch creation Mulholland Drive, that creepy cowboy’s warning: “Now, you will see me one more time if you do good. You’ll see me two more times if you do bad.”
Maybe those clown comics will only fix their hearts by feeling menaced, by rolling around in some intense dread. That seemed to be the tone of the original record, and creepy cowboys show up again in the Amskray remix of “Cowboy” (the only song from the original record to be remixed twice). Many of the original lyrics are lost in this remix, as if we’re only hearing what the cowboy can hear, and a lot gets lost in the noise of his toxic masculinity brain. He may get us going, but he’s never going to listen to us. The Nihiloceros remix of “Spent” also builds on this project of threatening us to fix us, with the bridge exploding like in the original, but with an even grungier guitar sound, and an ominous scream wailing over it all.
A Very Special Episode live (photos by Jen Meller)
Only one remix here combines two songs, and that’s the Atlas Engine remix of “Fire Walk With Me // Fuck Everything” (yes, more inspiration from Lynch, in the original album and here). The combined remix starts out in a grind of turmoil, with Heisler’s vocals more distorted than in the original. The chaos falls away, and we hear Laura Palmer (from Fire Walk With Me) musing about how it would feel to fall in space, before the repetition of “Fuck Everything” blooms into a sparkling line of electronica where we’re dancing again.
Like the album that inspired it, Remix Your Hearts or Die takes listeners on an epic and strange journey, worthy of the David Lynch works referred to throughout both. Both albums are available on their Bandcamp page (with Fix Your Hearts or Die also available on Spotify). If you’d like to see A Very Special Episode in action live, don’t miss their upcoming show at East Williamsburg Econo Lodge on November 18th.
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal and Kate weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
And though we can’t possibly cover all the music that is released each week (we wish!), we do get to as many songs as we can. As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so and check back every Friday to see more:
A Place To Bury Strangers–Love Reaches Out (Xiu Xiu Remix).Angela Seo and Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu fame lend their talents to remixing this track, taking the New Order-tinged original (from See Through You, released earlier this year) and turning it into a punchier, stripped down version of itself with swirling vocals. Find this one out on APTBS Oliver Ackermann’s own label Dedstrange. [CW]
Bob Vylan– The Delicate Nature (feat. Laurie Vincent). After releasing their stellar album Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life earlier this year, the London based electro/punk/hip hop duo are back with a new single which features Laurie Vincent of Slaves who also produced the track. The song starts out on the subdued side, a lower key smokey vibe persisting until around the 2:40 mark when the song blows up and turns into an all out shredder.
Vocalist Bobby Vylan says the song was inspired by “This idea of life being a fleeting moment that can end or change at any moment is something that I have attempted to dissect so often in my life,” continuing “Watching people make split-second decisions that impact their lives forever is something I’ve always found incredibly fascinating. When I look back at my life I realise how some of the decisions I made could have landed me in places that would have taken away my freedom, my autonomy or my health but I’m also able to see how some of those same decisions equipped me with skills that allowed me to better myself, my life and help me grow as an individual.” Read more on the creative process behind the track, here. And check out our recent coverage from their incredible show at Terminal 5. [KH]
Buffalo Nichols–Meet Me In The Bottom / Friends.Buffalo Nichols’ modern take on the blues will burrow through your ears and straight into your soul. On the heels of last year’s self-titled release comes a new double single on Fat Possum, produced by Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio. Held together by Nichols’ rich voice and carried along by a fuzzy bassline and soaring guitar, “Meet Me In The Bottom,” a re-working of a traditional song made famous by Howlin’ Wolf, is honestly a headbanger. The more delicate “Friends” is a showcase of Nichols’ songwriting talents, “a plea for understanding from a highly anxious and isolated person” according to the artist. [CW]
fanclubwallet– Roadkill. Following up her excellent debut album, You Have Got To Be Kidding Me, the Ottawa based indie/bedroom pop songwriter fanclubwallet aka Hannah Judge has released a brand new single, “Roadkill,” a song that starts out subtle before blossoming into a mesmerizing and epic instrumental build up and fade out, perfectly emphasizing the emotions of the lyrics. On the subject matter, Judge says the song is “basically about the way men put female musicians or just women in general up on strange pedestals. Idolizing and viewing them as an object or prize to be won.”
She directed and edited the accompanying music video “It’sa simple video reflecting my love of horror movies while utilizing my experience with practical visual effects and horror makeup,” she says. “When I was younger I would fake sick and stay home from school. I would watch horror makeup tutorials and my mom would always come home to me with some wacky horror makeup on. The video’s series of slow zoom-out shots that reveal that I’ve been wounded reflect the lyrical theme on ‘Roadkill’ and feeling hunted.” [KH]
The HIRS Collective– We’re Still Here (feat. Shirley Manson). The dynamic and influential Philly queer grind/hardcore collective have announced a new album, We’re Still Here, due out 3/24 (Get Better Records) and released the title track which features Shirley Manson of Garbage. There are over a dozen other guests who make appearances on the record, members of Soul Glo, My Chemical Romance, Thursday, Gouge Away, Screaming Females and many more. The collective said in a statement “We always want to go the pessimistic route and be like ‘We’re only here out of spite’ but really, we are spite. And we’re going to do the work and to be as happy as possible for as long as we can. We’re here to say ‘Fuck you, what we want to do is go on tour with our friends and hang out with them. We want to have all the positive, wild experiences. We want to contribute to the actual community of people around us. We want to connect with everyone who comes into our world.” And any marginalized person knows the power in saying the words “We’re Still Here.” Read more about the album and place pre-orders here. [KH]
Horrible Timing– Inconceivable. Brooklyn’s very own “anxious pop punk” outfit, Horrible Timing, have released their second single, “Inconceivable,” a supremely catchy new track that hits all the right spots and high points of the genre—big riffs, catchy leads, and soaring vocals from singer Melissa Licciardello with some killer harmonies to top it all off. Licciardello tells us the song is about avoiding saying “I Love You” to someone and shying away from commitment: “‘Inconceivable’ is our softest tune about me being a little bitch, essentially. It’s about knowing in your heart somewhere that you want to commit, but not having the words to express it,” and calls it an “I really really capital L Like you a lot” song. Slick production from prolific NYC engineer Jerry Farley makes the song sound larger than life and it, along with their previously released song “Ballroom Fitz,” will be part of their upcoming debut EP due out in early 2023. [KH]
Ladytron– City of Angels. This track is just what you’d expect from Ladytron, and that’s a compliment. After over 20 years they continue to execute their signature sound well: a beat that gets under your skin, dark, droning synths, and sultry vocals on top of everything else. The newest LP Time’s Arrow will be out in January 2023—hope you haven’t put your dancing shoes away quite yet. [CW]
Laura Veirs– New Arms (Demo). The prolific singer songwriter Laura Veirs has announced an expanded edition of her most recent album, Found Light, which will feature five demo recordings from songs on the album including “New Arms.” Via a press release she said “Musicians have told me over the years how much they enjoy hearing my demos. There’s something about sitting around in my living room and hitting ‘record’ on my phone that allows me to capture very relaxed performances of songs as they are just forming. It’s gratifying to share for the first time these intimate, raw versions of some of my new songs.” I wholeheartedly agree and always love hearing a demo of a song; this one in particular, stripped down and bare bones—just Veirs and an electric guitar—it shows off what I’ve always loved about her work, the raw vulnerability of her songwriting and voice. The expanded album releases in full today. [KH]
Miss Grit– Follow the Cyborg. The electronic project of New York based Korean-American artist Margaret Sohn has announced their debut album, Follow the Cyborg, and released the title track, a song that is bright and effusive before dialing it back to a contemplative instrumental fade out. We described their previous single “Like You,” as “having a good beat without being clubby” and I’d say this song feels similar, the beat moves you, but never overwhelms, keeping it in your mind and your head bobbing while you contemplate the implications of the lyrics which the artist says via a press release “pursues the path of a non-human machine, as it moves from its helpless origin to awareness and liberation.” They also add that the album is “At times gentle and sparse, at times volatile and explosive, it occupies a sonic world of electronic experimentation and stirring electric guitars.” We are looking forward to hearing what else Sohn has in store for us upon the full release.
Follow the Cyborg is due out on 2/24/22 via Mute and will feature collaborations with Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint), Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma) and Pearla. [KH]
Panic Shack– Meal Deal. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a catchy/snarky punk rock song. And if there’s another thing I love, it’s snacking and in particular, a good UK meal deal (which is something we really need to get on in the States btw). The Cardiff based band has combined these two great things into a brand new single with the delightful refrain “Feed me I’m skint and hungry! Just want a sammy, nothing fancy” I don’t know about any other punx out there, but I can definitely relate to that sentiment. I had previously been unaware of the band before I happened to catch them live by chance in Bristol (England) last month and was thoroughly impressed. I quickly dug right into their recorded catalog which right now only includes their fantastic EP, Baby Shack, and now this single. They’ve been getting a lot of well deserved attention in the UK and will be making their US debut at SXSW in March 2023. Here’s hoping a tour including NYC is built into those plans.
(PS:This review coming to you from the person who makes her very first stop on every trip to the UK the M&S outside of baggage claim at Heathrow to get two prawn mayos, a Fanta and a bag of crisps—I don’t mess around. And for just barely £5, it’s a mighty bargain.) [KH]
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs– Mr. Medicine. The UK based stoner/psych/doom noise kings have announced a new album, Land of Sleeper, and released the first studio track from it, “Mr. Medicine.” Clocking in at a spartan (for this band) two and a half minutes, it’s a pretty hard driving and catchy affair, less doom and more in the psych, almost bordering on garage territory. This follows the recent release of a live video for “Terror’s Pillow,” which will also appear on the record. Read more about the full album and place pre-orders here. NYC audiences can catch the band on 3/11/23 at Saint Vitus. [KH]
Pozi– Slightly Shaking Cells. An infectious new, head bopping groove from the London based violin/bass/drums post punk trio which the band says “acknowledges the disappointment that comes with the realisation you are ageing, but counters this with the argument that time brings knowledge of your own mind was” continuing that it was inspired by figures such as Boudica, Cleopatra and Xena the Warrior Princess, and the kind of immortality you can create through believing in your own strength. The song then switches to someone admiring another person from afar, zooming into everyday existence away from matters of life and death.” [KH]
Sarchasm– Crazy. The long running Bay Area band have announced their final album, Conditional Love (12/2 Asian Man), and with it comes this catchy first song, “Crazy,” a song about a classic subject matter, human relationships (both with others and ourselves) and how they shift and change. Tempting to call it a break up song, the refrain belies that it is in fact about more and about self reflection too: “I’m not jealous, I’m just crazy about the way you say you’re over me, guess what I’m over me too so let’s get together and talk it through.” The band will release the album and play their final shows soon after, wrapping up their run at the legendary venue 924 Gilman on 12/30 and 12/31. [KH]
We Are Scientists– Less From You. Long running NYC indie group We Are Scientists first captured my heart years ago with their catchy songs about being damaged and the excesses of youth/young adulthood. They’re still going strong and are set to release their eighth album, Lobes, in early 2023 and released the disco infused new single “Less From You,” keeping the bass grooving and the party moving. [KH]
White Lung–“If You’re Gone.” According to the band, their newest LP Premonition (12/2 Domino) is “the last album we’ll be getting from one of the best bands to ever do it.” I’ve been a fan since their last record, 2016’s Paradise, so that’s unwelcome news. “If You’re Gone” finds them indeed doing what they do best, pumping out mosh-worthy, punky-hardcore-rock songs with thrashing drums, sharp guitars, and Mish Barber-Way’s melodic, punchy vocals, while lyrically wading in deep waters: according to Barber-Way, the song is about children dealing with the loss of a parent who took their own life. [CW]
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal, Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
And though we can’t possibly cover all the music that is released each week (we wish!), we do get to as many songs as we can. As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so and check back every Friday to see more:
Algiers– Irreversible Damage (feat. Zack de la Rocha). Algiers is a band that can’t be pinned down by any one sound, constantly pushing boundaries and making music that is bold and defiant. Last month they released single, “Bite Back” featuring billy woods (of Armand Hammer) and Backxwash, and at the time, it appeared that it was a standalone because no album announcement was made (though “so much more” was hinted at). Now they have revealed their new album, SHOOK (2/24/23 Matador), and released another single “Irreversible Damage.” Sonically the song recalls frantic electro clash with a gripping feature from Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha before an instrumental break kicks in to close out the rest of the song. Frontman Franklin James Fisher explained that “The end of that song is the sound of joy. That’s what hope sounds like in 2022 when everything’s falling apart.” [KH]
Berwyn– Path To Satisfaction. A laid back infectious hip hop jam from the Trinidad born, UK based rapper who says the song “recognises the change that comes with growth. It acknowledges the path towards realising my identity and anticipates the future of Berwyn, that a man can have two homes and his body will know the difference.” I first became aware of his work when he guested on Ibeyi‘s stunning cover of Black Flag’s “Rise Above” and have slowly been making my way through his catalog. [KH]
Castle Rat– Feed The Dream. The Rat Queen herself and her medieval fantasy doom metal cohorts (The Count, The Plague Doctor, and The Druid) lead us into battle with this hazy and heavy lead single “Feed the Dream.” Full of triumphant harmonized stoner riffs and nightmare vocals, this track can be heard across the kingdom and echoed throughout all the darkest corners of the realm. Dawn breaks on the Great Rat Summoning today, and at dusk they celebrate the feast at the altar alongside Evolfo, Joudy, and Wine Lips and any other beasts and battle-babes who dare enter tonight at The Sultan Room. [MB]
Extra Special– I Can’t Say. The solo project of Amelia Bushell (Grim Streaker and Belle Mare) has released a haunting new single about love and loss. Read more about it here. [MB]
Fucked Up– One Day. The long running Canadian hardcore band are back with a brand new single, the title track from their upcoming album, One Day (1/27/23 Merge), so named because the songs were written and recorded by the band members in the span of 24 hours each. Read more here. [KH]
Horsegirl– History Lesson Part 2 (Minutemen cover). This Chicago based trio has had a big year with the release of their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance (Matador), and they have now made their Minutemen cover available digitally for the first time (it was previously only available on a 7inch). Their version is a pretty faithful note for note cover and they had this to say “‘History Lesson Part 2’ has always been a punk manifesto for us. It was an unusual pick to cover considering the lyrics are so specific to Minutemen, but we thought there was something appealing too about recording a ‘History Lesson’ that doesn’t actually give you any history on us.” [KH]
HOST– Tomorrow’s Sky. Old goths and metalheads alike rejoice: Nick Holmes and Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost have a new project. Inspired by the Paradise Lost album of the same name, HOST finds the two band members in more modern territory. This first single from their debut album IX (2/24/23 via Nuclear Blast) is a dark, punchy synthpop song laced with sharp guitar, and is perfect for your spooky playlist this Halloween weekend. If mannequins creep you out, avoid the music video! [CW]
Interlay– Androgynous. I’m not shy about the fact that I was a big fan of grunge/alt rock in the 90s. That love never left me, so I have also a big fan of the new crop of bands that have recently been bringing the style back and I have welcomed hearing fresh takes on a genre/style that shaped a lot of who I am as a person. In a press release the band tells us they draw influence from 90s shoegaze and grunge bands from Nirvana to Drop Nineteens, and while those influences do make their presence known, they don’t overpower the band’s music and it stands on its own. The heavy riffs and catchy lead guitar lick warrant repeated listens and while this single appears to be a stand alone at the moment, I certainly am looking forward to whatever comes next from the Madison, WI based group. [KH]
John (Times Two)– Theme New Bond Junior. Is this the usually abrasive (in a good way) band showing their softer side? It’s not a “soft” song by any means but for this rip roaring two piece punk band, it does show off a bit of a more subdued sound and a more nuanced approach to the studio. No complaints here though, it’s an exciting prospect and a growth in their song writing. I love everything this band does and have been anxiously awaiting them playing US dates for some time now. Perhaps the release of this new music, part of a 7inch due out in January 2023, is a prelude to the NYC show of my dreams. Here’s hoping! Pre-orders for the record are up now. [KH]
Pohgoh– Over/Under. The Florida based veteran emo band is set to release a new full length du und ich (11/4 Spartan Records) and have just released the deeply personal third single “Over/Under.” Singer/guitarist Susie Ulrey explains the meaning behind the song saying, “‘Over/Under’ is about the random uncertainty of odds while living through a traumatic experience. In the fall of 2018 I spent 3 terrifying weeks in the hospital (including a stint in the ICU) due to a very rare reaction to an MS (Mulitple Sclerosis) treatment I had taken years prior. The odds eventually tilted in my favor when I was finally sent home, though in a pretty fragile state with a slow, months-long recovery ahead of me.” She continued, “Part of the healing process was writing about it. We wanted to reflect some light out of the tunnel through the upbeat ending and my self-assuring, if not tentative declaration of, ‘I’m happy to be here.’” [KH]
Quasi– Queen of Ears. Though they released some demos over the pandemic and the stand alone song “Last Days of the Thin Blue Line,” it’s been almost a full ten years since the long running Portland duo have released an album—years that saw drummer Janet Weiss shockingly leave her other longtime project, Sleater-Kinney, and suffer severe injuries in a car accident—but now they have made their triumphant return with Weiss back on the kit and better than ever. They have announced a new album, Breaking the Balls of History, which will also be their debut for Sub Pop, along with the first single “Queen of Ears.” This first single hits every thing I love about this band—the quirky organ, the harmonies, the cool drum fills—and I can’t wait to hear what else they have in store for the rest of the album. Along with the album announcement comes a tour that will see the duo hit NYC at TV Eye on 3/16/23. [KH]
Quicksand– Felíz. The NYC post hardcore greats are back with another stand alone single (so it appears) after the recent release of “Giving The Past Away,” which was a leftover track from the Distant Populations sessions. This one is a rager that showcases everything this band does so well and why they have had the staying/returning power that they do. Available now on streamers via Epitaph. [KH]
Sour Widows– I-90. The Bay Area group is back with an emotional new single that deals with the death of Maia Sinaiko’s partner in 2017. Sinaiko said “I wrote “I-90” at a time when all I could do was make music alone in my room. Day to day life was a constant cycling through memories of places, feelings and experiences of which I was now the sole keeper. I found that the most mundane memories—driving in my partner’s car, the rural midwest landscapes of my college town—felt priceless, acting as vivid portals into what was now an irrevocable part of my life. The endlessness of grief supersedes the normal passage of time and the people we lose remain in places we can never go back to. It’s magic and terrible all at once; that is what this song is about.”
Musically the song ebbs and flows through quiet and loud dynamics, perfectly emphasizing the emotional weight of the subject matter. There is no word yet if this song (and the preceeding single “Witness”) are part of an album to come or are stand alone works. [KH]
The Tubs– Sniveller. This Welsh four-piece are finally releasing their debut album after forming in 2018, and the first single is a slice of angular post-punk tinged with jangle and crisp drumbeats. Singer Owen Williams notes “I wanted to write about how love can turn anyone into a Sniveller.” Dead Meat will be out January 27th. Hopefully they make it stateside for a show soon. [CW]
Toebow– Kitchen. This is the first new music from this eclectic/genre defying group since 2019. On their Bandcamp and Instagram the band shares “Kitchen” is a triumphant groover about getting through your worst times and coming out on top. The song touches on issues surrounding over-indulgence, substance consumption, and getting past unhealthy and toxic periods of one’s life. “Kitchen” was initially tracked in 2018, then overdubbed, mixed & mastered in 2021-2022. It is a stand-alone single, also featured on the limited edition (100 copies) Toebow cassette Resting Joy Selects.” We were recently wowed by their performance at Lincoln Center, see pics here. [KH]
T.S. Tadin– Killin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll. A fun little romp with an old school feel which serves as the third single from the upcoming album by crafty pop songster T.S. Tadin who said “This one is a bit of a departure from my other stuff sonically. It’s got a variation on the Bo Diddley beat. [I] was trying to go for something sounded like early Lou Reed. Do the Ostrich!” [KH]
TVOD– Mantis. The explosive party punx are at it again with an infectious new single “Mantis.” This crunchy synth pop freak out party track has a bit of a classic retro sci-fi vibe that would feel quite at home on The Lillingtons’Death by Television. Read more about it here. [MB]
The Antibuddiesthat’s what I said (art by Scott Thomas Christie & Emily Hanson)
On September 28, 2022, Detroit-based band, The Antibuddies, released their third EP titled that’s what i said. Featuring seven songs in just under ten minutes, they cover a lot of ground with fast-paced, catchy songs that further establish them as a staple of feminist punk music with a distinct flavor of heavy 90’s grunge. And while discussing social issues in music is nothing new, The Antibuddies have a uniquely sarcastic and snarky style of political messaging that makes their songs memorable, entertaining, and motivating. Like Dead Kennedys and War on Women (whom they have opened for), this band understands that incorporating a hefty dose of sarcasm can be an effective way of relaying their feelings while still drawing attention to what’s going on in the world. While many of the EP’s tracks are about societal issues such as feminism and upholding radical values, the band also leaves room for songs about pro wrestling (“Hits Like a Grl”), gardening (“Drt”), and cats (“Malcolm”).
On this recording, the band consists of bassist Jenny, guitarist Cale, and drummer Emily (who has since moved to Seattle so the group has a new drummer), with Jenny and Cale lending a balanced mix of higher and lower-pitched vocals which complement each other very well. The songs would still be good if there were only one vocalist, but the dual vocals layered on top of rich instrumentals take the tracks one step further.
The Antibuddies— L-R Emily- drums, Jenny- bass/vocals, Cale- guitar/vocals (photo by James Sterling Lees)
Opening the album is “Luv Jail,” an energetic and frantic song that encompasses what it’s like to be in an insular romantic connection. “I don’t need to live my life/I don’t need my friends/Let’s get stuck in a cell/We’re in love jail–they can go to hell” sings Jenny halfway through the track, making it clear that she feels just fine being in “luv jail.” While this is the only song on the album that explicitly addresses the topic of romantic love, the song’s placement as the opener in relation to the closing track, “Malcolm,” is rather poetic since the record opens with a track about being caught up in a relationship and ends with a song about preventing a beloved cat from wanting to escape, perhaps signifying a larger theme of protecting what we love through containment.
“Malcolm” was written about drummer Emily’s cat, who—according to the band—”is a special boy who liked to run out of the house at every practice. He’s also the cat on the cover art of the EP. We love him.” His song is only a minute long and features lyrics directed right to him as he plots his escape from a warm and cozy home in the Midwest. “Malcolm no/Stay inside/Malcolm no/Don’t go outside/You stay inside cause there’s too many cars/You can’t go outside cause it’s too damn cold/You can’t go outside cause I FUCKING LOVE YOUUUUU” sings mostly Cale with Jenny joining in at the very end.
In “Drunk Bro”, the band’s brand of snarky commentary comes across loud and clear. The song is about a guy who’s had too much to drink at a show and is ruining the night for everyone around him, with Jenny and Cale singing switching off throughout the song. “Drunk bro, heavy limbs swinging to and fro/Kicked my glasses right off my face/Drunk bro, smacked five women in a row/Are you trying to ruin this space?” According to their press release, the band has stated that the song is “Based on a real life experience probably everyone has had. Alcohol culture is a plague. Have a good time but know your limits and treat others with respect.”
In that’s what i said, The Antibuddies have continued to establish themselves as an important punk band, especially in a scene where femme-centered music can easily be overlooked and/or dismissed. Fans of War on Women, Dead Kennedys, and early 90’s grunge outfits will certainly appreciate this bandand we look forward to seeing what’s next for them!
that’s what i said is out now via Bandcampand is available on all major streaming platforms. Find The Antibuddies on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Jekssaira last summer when bands were just beginning to play live shows again. They are a power trio in the best sense of the term—with Jekssaira “Jessie” Rodriguez on guitar, Kenny Barojas on bass, and Kevin Martinez on drums—and I was honored to share a stage with them last July at The Parkside Lounge (see FTA’s coverage). My first impression of Jekssaira (the band) was how skilled each of them are musically, how hard they rock, how tight they are as a group, but a closer listen of their newest full-length release, Becoming Well Again, reveals how much of Jekssaira (the front woman/songwriter) poured her heart and soul into the songs. The album is both painful and uplifting. Rodriguez (described on her Bandcamp page as a “loud gay musician from Queens, NY”) has suffered some serious heartbreak and now rises from those ashes like the resilient phoenix, and she’s ready to share the whole gut-wrenching journey with her listeners.
Jekssaira (photo by Kate Hoos)
“Your Doppelganger” is the first of the seven songs on Becoming Well Again, and the album’s softest song musically. Rodriguez’s guitar sound at first has an acoustic feel, while her lyrics capture the haunting and lonely sensation of “seeing” your lost lover everywhere. “Today I saw someone who looked just like you / And my heart began to sink so deep.” At the song’s closing, though, the guitar begins to strengthen into quicker, chunkier strums, introducing the heavier rock sound of the rest of the album. In “Gaslighter,” the third track, glimmers of hope and self-worth begin to break through in the lyrics, while the distorted, in-your-face guitar sounds show the songwriter’s strength beginning to grow. “I’m starting to realize I’m not the only one who messed up here,” Rodriguez’s clear voice cuts through the roar of her guitar. “I’m stronger than you think.”
Other fave tracks of mine included “Ain’t Feelin Too Fine,” where the rhythm section really shines with Barojas’s fantastic octave-jumping bass riff and Martinez exploding on the cymbals. But perhaps the standout song of Becoming Well Again is the penultimate song, “Diary (Entrada 73),” with Jekssaira showing off her strong skills as a bilingual lyricist. At this point in the album, too, our frontwoman has definitely gained strength and is healing herself, and you can hear her hope start to break through. “Sigo sintiendo lo mismo / Chinga la paciencia / Voy hacer lo que yo quiera” (Translation for non-Spanish speakers: “I still feel the same / fuck the patience / I’m going to do what I want.”) She lets out the most infectious squeal of joy after that line! Jekssaira’s triumph over hopelessness comes full circle in the final track, “I’ll Be Okay (The Last Song).” It’s not a grandiose victory, and she knows she’ll have to keep working, but the wisdom of that realization is so relatable. “I’ll be okay / I’ll be alright / It’s about damn time I start taking care of my life.”
In her statement about Becoming Well Again on Bandcamp, Jekssaira writes: “This album is about going from negative thinking to positive thinking…I’ve learned to love again and for the first time, love myself. I hope this album will help others as it did to me.” If you’re looking to heal yourself and rock out hard in the process, Becoming Well Again, is the perfect cure! The album was recorded by Eamon McMullen of The Pigeon Pack, and featuring very cool album art by Val Martinez (building off of a photo by our Editor in Chief, Kate Hoos). Also check out Rodriguez’ other band, The Loneliers, a very fun twee pop-punk project featuring some great harmonies where Jessie sings with her sister, Debbie Rodriguez.
Becoming Well Again was self released and is available on all major streaming platforms.
Amelia Bushell (Grim Streaker and Belle Mare) is one of the more prolific and inventive songwriters of our generation. Her solo moniker Extra Special provides the perfect platform for her to occasionally step outside some of the character identities she’s created for herself in other projects and deliver a more honest and exposed slice of her experience.
The new single is a raw take on processing emotions and the meaning of life in the moments surrounding the wake of a tragedy. Bushell tells us “I wrote ‘I Can’t Stay’ shortly after my roommate passed away in the room next to mine. I spent a lot of time on the other side of that wall trying to process what had happened. All around me, life just seemed to continue on in the same way it always had. How could he have been here and then suddenly…not? It didn’t seem fair that someone so young and so cool, someone with so much potential, could be taken so quickly.”
Produced by Gary Arturrio at Studio G and featuring Louis Cozza on drums, the Brooklyn based Canadian songwriter has a beautiful way with words and melody that’s so uniquely specific (almost jarringly so at times) weaving between metaphor and direct imagery that perfectly construct the world of loss, and loneliness, and confusion.
Speaking about the influence of her roommate, Bushell explained “I desperately wanted something to escape to. Someone to talk to about life and death. And really wanted to get my shit together like they did. Turns out they didn’t have it together at all. I’ve had the space to reflect on that time in my life and I’m grateful to have music as a way of processing life’s hardships.”
This is the second single for Extra Special this year after the earlier release of “Reasons,” which has us really hoping there’s a new record on the way to follow up on 2020’s Lazy About It EP. But for now, spin the single and check out the back catalog of indie-pop tunes everywhere you stream music.
